


The Other Option

by Vhale



Category: House M.D.
Genre: 1x21, Gen, House's Leg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:22:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22061008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vhale/pseuds/Vhale
Summary: Tag to episode 1x21.
Relationships: None
Kudos: 13





	The Other Option

Please bear in mind that I haven’t seen this episode in some time and couldn’t find it to watch again before writing this.

The Other Option

The lecture hall was quiet. The end of Dr House’s story reverberating in the silence as all those present absorbed the implications of what this man had endured, was enduring, still. The pain. The drugs. All stemmed from a fluke, an unlikely malady that had been missed due to its implausibility and the nature of their work.

Medicine was as driven by deductive reasoning as any criminal investigation and as such, the procedure of running from most likely culprit to least, often resulted in the best treatment the soonest; unless you were one of those unfortunate souls to suffer from the rare and improbable. When this occurred, time became short. Options severely curtailed. And often, loss was the result.

Unless…

“So, the patient would’ve been better off if they’d taken the leg.”

The entire audience was hushed for a different reason now. Dr Chase had violated one of societies cardinal rules. Don’t kick a man when he’s down. Everyone turned to look at him in astonishment as he ignored the baring of rigid man’s soul and rubbed the Great Doctor House’s greatest failure in his face, leg, same difference.

Physician heal thyself was practically hanging in the air.

Even House himself couldn’t believe it. Maybe there’s hope for this one yet, he thought, seeing the potential in the younger doctor to be as pragmatic as necessary to benefit the patients the most, in spite of themselves. He decided to reinforce what he saw.  
“Of course the patient would’ve been better off! By now he’d have mastered his shiny new leg and be walking around pain free, drug free, and cane free. Stupid bastard.” He mumbled the last bit to himself; acknowledging once again, at least in the privacy of his own mind, that he was his own worst enemy. 

Cuddy and Wilson watched from the rear. Sorrow and pity in their eyes. It stirred House’s rage, never far below the surface. “But it’s done. And now the patient has to live with it. Forever.” He addressed his student’s once again. “Like all your patients will, anytime you screw up. And you will. So will they. Accept that, or get out.”

“So….”

Chase please just shut up. Cameron urged with her eyes and she stared at him from Foreman’s right.

“Why doesn’t the patient just have the amputation now?”

A third round of silence.

“What?” Foreman barked.

Chase finally turned away from his boss’ bewildered blue eyes and looked around the room, seemingly astounded by the obtuseness of those around him. “Why doesn’t he have the amputation now? It’s still an option. The chronic pain and potential danger of long-term narcotic use make it a reasonable risk. If he’d be better off without the leg, why not do it? I know I’d be willing to perform the procedure.”

House and Wilson locked eyes, poleaxed.

Wilson summed it up nicely.

“We’re all morons.”


End file.
